After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's independent music scenes, particularly the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village, Spektor signed with Sire Records in 2004 and began achieving greater mainstream recognition. After giving her third album a major label re-release, Sire released Spektor's fourth album, Begin to Hope, which achieved a Gold certification by the RIAA. Her following two albums, Far and What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, each debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. 2016's Remember Us to Life peaked at 23 on the Billboard 200.
Mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed June 11, 2019, Regina Spektor Day in New York City. Spektor was also inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame on May 18, 2019, by Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.
rejazz.
Regina Spektor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I couldn't so I didn't
People's children die and they don't even cry forever
Thought I'd see your face in my mind for all time
But I don't even remember what your ears looked like
And the clock still strikes midnight and noon
And the sun still rises and so does the moon
Even though I'm no longer in your arms
Thought the mountain would crumble
And the rivers would bend
But I thought all wrong and the world did not end
Guess the maps will just have to stay the same for a while
Didn't even need therapy to rehabilitate my smile
Rehabilitate my smile
Thought I'd cry for you forever
But I couldn't so I didn't...
Regina Spektor's song Rejazz is a deeply emotional and introspective piece, with lyrics that explore the aftermath of a failed relationship. The opening lines demonstrate a sense of disbelief and confusion; the singer had thought that their feelings were so intense that they would cry for their lost love forever. However, as time passes, they realize that their emotional wounds are not permanent, and that life goes on despite the pain they experienced. The singer is surprised to find that they no longer remember their ex-partner's features, implying that the memory of their love is fading away.
The song's refrain emphasizes the idea that life goes on, even when we experience heartbreak. The world continues to turn, and time marches on regardless of our personal tragedies. The singer acknowledges this in the lines "the clock still strikes midnight and noon/and the sun still rises and so does the moon/birds still migrate south and people move on." By the end of the song, the singer has come to terms with their pain and has found a sense of peace. They no longer need therapy to "rehabilitate [their] smile," and they have moved on from the relationship.
Overall, Regina Spektor's Rejazz is a poignant meditation on the experiences we all face after the end of a meaningful relationship. It emphasizes the idea of time's unstoppable march and our own resilience in the face of personal tragedies.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I'd cry for you forever
I believed I would grieve over the loss of you forever.
But I couldn't so I didn't
However, I found that I was not capable of sustaining that level of sadness.
people's children die and they don't even cry forever
As much as losing you hurt me, there are those who suffer much greater loss and do not remain in mourning indefinitely.
Thought I'd see your face in my mind for all time
I anticipated that the memory of your visage would remain with me indefinitely.
But I don't even remember what your ears looked like
Nonetheless, I have already forgotten certain physical details of your appearance.
And the clock still strikes midnight and noon
Despite the loss and its accompanying sorrow, life goes on as usual with cycles of night and day.
and the sun still rises and so does the moon
The natural course of the world is unaltered by the pain of heartbreak.
birds still migrate south and people move on
Even though I am no longer with you, the world continues to function normally with the changing seasons and people moving on.
even though I'm no longer in your arms
Despite my desire to remain with you and the agony of being apart, I have moved forward with my life without you.
Thought the mountain would crumble
I had believed that the unbearable pain of our separation would make even the most unshakeable things in the world crumble.
and the rivers would bend
I thought that the intense pain of heartbreak would cause the very flow of the river to warp and contort.
but I thought all wrong and the world did not end
My expectations were not met, life carried on despite the pain and grief.
guess the maps will just have to stay the same for a while
Despite the emotional whirlwind brought on by my heartache, the physical world will remain unchanging.
Didn't even need therapy to rehabilitate my smile
To my surprise, I did not find the need to seek out professional help to regain my happiness.
rehabilitate my smile
To recover the joy and mirth that I once had before losing you.
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gastón Calfinier
"Rejazz"
Thought I'd cry for you forever
But I couldn't so I didn't
People's children die and they don't even cry forever
Thought I'd see your face in my mind for all time
But I don't even remember what your ears looked like
And the clock still strikes midnight and noon
And the sun still rises and so does the moon
Birds still migrate south and people move on
Even though I'm no longer in your arms
Thought the mountain would crumble
And the rivers would bend
But I thought all wrong and the world did not end
Guess the maps will just have to stay the same for a while
Didn't even need therapy to rehabilitate my smile
Rehabilitate my smile
Thought I'd cry for you forever
But I couldn't so I didn't...
UnconventionalAqua
Thank you, Regina, for helping me through this breakup. The world will not end, and the mountains will not crumble.
Paris
My friend sent this to me yesterday and saw your comment. Have you moved on?
violet rye
i love how when she sings she has a strong ass voice and then when you see her live shes all shy, gives me hope of being a successful stripper
Amy Martin
🤣🤣🤣 Such a great comment
Jorb
LMAO
not a hamster
Erm... anyone can dream I guess.
Krasota Bella
LOVE this comment
Caelum Galaxy
I love the twist this took
Steph B
WHAT- she does with her voice, the last 45 seconds of the song, gives me goosebumps. I can't get over it. There are a lot of certain points in her songs that just blow me away, but this one gets me the most.
miguel de villareal
maravilla de voz, la amo